Darkness
by seifersfire
Summary: It was dark when I fell in love with him and things have not changed. HermioneRon, R&R, flames welcome. Just a short peice, nothing special. COMPLETE
1. Prolouge

_A.N. It just hit me... and it is also a present for my beta, KasKarAce._

_Disclaimer: None of it is mine._

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The musty scent of the dirt floor swiveled around me. It was cold and my red-headed counterpart was currently seething, banging on the door demanding we be freed.

"Ron," I called out.

Earlier when we had been taken someone had been creative and I had been put in the way of a severing charm. He came to me and knelt by my side. Merlin, he had gotten big. I remember in second year when I was as tall as he was. Now he has at least three inches on me and I wouldn't be surprised if he had seventy five or eighty pounds in muscle. He took my arm in his hand, which by the way looked like a toothpick compared to his size, and examined my heavily bleeding appendage.

"Damn," he muttered, taking his shirt in his hands.

My eye got to be the size of plates as he ripped it. A well toned stomach and arms met my eyes. I seemed to be glued to the spot. My thoughts took a veering left turn down a lane the likes of which Hermione Granger has never been. With a shudder I suppressed my thoughts as his hands deftly wrapped the cloth around my arm, doing his best to stop the bleeding.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

He looked up at me, as a lock of hair fell into his eyes, giving off a boyish appearance. A smile graced his face, it was rather forced but still, it was for me. That thought alone made it mean so much more than a smile from Viktor or Harry would have meant. Because Ron was smiling for me.

He slid down the wall next to me and put his head in his hands, a sigh of frustration escaping him. I shivered slightly in the cold, but I wasn't off too badly yet. "We should have seen this attack coming," he muttered.

"Dumbledore didn't see it coming," I said firmly. "How could you have seen it coming?"

Ron gave me a drool look, "We can't depend on the old coot for everything. He's getting on in his years you know and I don't think he could ever be accused of being sane. Personally, I'm worried he'll go even barmier then he already is!"

I did my best to look disapproving and smother my smile. Needless to say, it didn't quite work out that way as I started laughing.

It was odd. Ron and I had been captured by Death Eaters and now we were sitting on the bottom of a cell laughing at a joke, when most nights at Grimmauld Place everyone struggled to find a smile. My rational thoughts tried to kick in, we should be trying to figure out how to get out or in the least, contact Harry. However, one look in those eyes and I completely forgot any plan of trying to reach Harry.

As I shivered again, he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around my smaller form. I grinned and inhaled the scent that I had associated with Ron. It smelled like chocolate and fire whiskey, so distinctly Ron. Ever since we had graduated he had taken to Odgen's Fire Whiskey. At first I had opposed it in every way, shape, and form, but it did smell rather good on him. If I got this treatment when I was cold, well, damn! I needed to get cold more often.

"I wonder what they're going to do to us," I asked.

Ron chuckled, "Are you kidding?"

I looked up, adjusting myself slightly so I could see his face. "Is the cold seeping into your nerves?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, ok. We are either going to die or they'll keep us in here until Harry rescues us," he said jokingly.

With a heavy heart I realized he was most likely right. He seemed to notice my distress and lifted my chin gently.

"Don't worry Hermione; I won't let them hurt you."

Warmth flooded my system and that giddy feeling returned. I smiled up at him. We both knew he couldn't stop whatever onslaught the Death Eaters had coming for us. However, it still made me smile.

I leaned back against him again as dark became darker and we lost all sight in the small cell. My breaths came out in puffs and I was shivering openly as was Ron.

"Hermione, come here," Ron whispered.

I was not in the least bit prepared to feel Ron's hand on my rear lifting me up into his lap as he curled up around me. I jumped and gasped at the movement and stiffed in his arms. Although my anger was fueled when I realized what he was doing.

"Ron if we stay like this you'll freeze," I hissed.

"Yeah, but you won't," he said.

"I don't care about that you moron," I said, doing my best to sit up. He thwarted my efforts and held me firmly in place.

"Ronald," I hissed again. I was not going to let the daft fool die for me.

"If you want to do anything, keep me awake. I'm really tired 'Mione," he said.

Shock pulsed through my system at those words; if Ron were to go to sleep he may never wake up again. I grabbed his arm and shook it as his breathing began to slow.

"Ron!"

"I'm really tired... just want to go to sleep," he mumbled.

With all the strength I could muster I slapped him across the face and nearly screamed as his eyes slid closed. With a desperate attempt I pressed my lips firmly to his wrapping my rather warm hands around his neck.

There was one second, one painful second that I felt no response. One second in which I thought Ron had actually died for me and he was gone forever. I began to panic and tears welled up in my eyes.

I nearly cried with relief when his arms came around my waist and I felt his lips press back against mine.

What I had intended to simply shock him out of sleep and end, Ron intended to be something else. He refused to release my mouth. I fought with emotions and morals. He was my friend, this could ruin everything, there was too much to risk. In the end, however, his pliant lips won against my fears as I kissed him back with abandon.

His hands were like ice, even through my cloak and shirt. In a bold move I slipped them beneath my cloak pressing them to my considerably warmer sides. I felt him smile against my lips as I fought the urge for oxygen. This was just too good to let go of.

He pulled back, only giving either of us the time to breath before I lost myself in the taste of chocolate and whiskey again.

A light and the sound of our prison door opening made us jump apart, Ron moving protectively in front of me.

"If you wish to escape I suggest you go now. Just keep going down in the corridors," Snape hissed.

The only way I knew it was him was because of his voice, the light was so bright compared to the darkness Ron and I had been encased in for who knows how long.

"It will lead you to the sewers, not exactly the most sanitary way out, but I would tend to believe you would prefer that to death. Go quickly!"

Ron and I didn't question Snape's orders as we swept from the cell...

Hand in hand.

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_A.N. Like I said, it just came to me. It could be a full story or I could leave it as a one shot. reviewers choice. Plz R&R._


	2. Breathing

_A.N. I apologize to all of you who were waiting for an update on this. I just needed to take a break from fanfiction was all? I was getting kinda burnt out. But now I'm back and I have brought another chapter with me._

_Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it isn't mine._

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I was breathing heavily as we tore through the torch lit halls. The horrid smell of over-used sewers floated up to my nose and I fought the urge to gag. Snape's words however rung true, I would rather loose what little was in my stomach than my head.

"Bugger me," Ron whispered, bringing his hand up to his mouth.

Normally I would scold him for such language, but the exact same words had been running along in my head holding daffodils and looking innocent. I managed a disapproving stare in my distress. We ran until we came to a drop off, the corridor seemed to end and there was this hole in the floor. Ron dropped my hand and moved forward to look. He knelt by the hole and picked a stone out of the floor and tossed it down into the hole. It was dark and dank and I certainly couldn't see down into it. I wrinkled my brow in displeasure when instead of hearing a clank of stone hitting something solid, I heard a distinct plop, there was water at the bottom.

"He said to keep going down. You think he meant this far down?" Ron asked.

"We don't have much choice, we can't go back. Who knows what could be going on? Or who could be waiting for us?" My logical side seemed to just slide into place without me even knowing it.

Ron swung his legs over the edge and started to lower himself down. I watched anxiously from the side line as he slowly slipped farther down. I nearly rushed for him when I heard him hiss. "It's cold."

Then I heard it. Footsteps. Someone was coming. I turned to look down the corridor and saw a figure in a black cape with a mask covering their face marching towards me. I reached for my wand on habit, only to remember it wasn't there. I backed up and grabbed Ron's shoulder. "Ron!"

My companion turned around gazing into the masked face. In a split second he grabbed my waist with one arm and released his hold on the ledge with the other and we both fell into the water that we now discovered had a current. My feet were swept out from under me as the fowl water dragged me under the surface. I opened my mouth to scream and the water only filled my mouth. I was struggling for oxygen, my squeak of surprise when he had grabbed me deprived me of what I had had. Struggling to grab a purchase on anything I lifted my hands from the water and felt a rough stone wall sliding past my right hand. My fingers curled around the notches and I had stopped myself within moments. Pulling my head above the water I inhaled deeply, coughing the remnants of the water from my mouth and lungs.

Once I had regained my senses I began to look for Ron. My feet couldn't touch the bottom of the waterway and since I couldn't reach it, I couldn't tell if Ron would be able to either. "Ron!"

I heard a sudden gasp of breath along with the splashes of someone surfacing the water on the other side of the waterway about five feet past me. He was clinging to the stone wall, just like me. A smile broke out on my face when I saw Ron's blue eyes open.

"It's official, I am never eating again," he sputtered. "And I don't know about you, but I want a shower."

"Can you touch the bottom?" I asked.

"Not enough to do any good!"

I wanted to try to reach him, but I knew if I let go, I would have to cross the waterway and then reach him before I was swept away again. I was not going to take that chance. "I see no other option than to let the current carry us."

"What if it splits, we could be separated."

I bit my lip, that was something I hadn't thought of. That would mean that one of us would have to get over to the other. I knew Ron and he looked tired, I couldn't ask him to strain himself further. In a bold stunt, I threw myself across the waterway. I pushed off the stone wall with my feet, and grabbed for some part of Ron, because I was not going to make it to the wall.

Ron reached for me and grabbed my hand, my weight coupled with the loose grip he had on the wall sent us both tumbling into the water. My hold on his hand was loose and I did everything I could to keep a hold on it. It wasn't enough.

My hand slipped from his and I clawed at the wall, trying to stop again. The current seemed to speed up and I felt the grooves in the wall sliding past my fingers more quickly. I wouldn't dare open my eyes to see if Ron was still there, damage would be done to my eyes. I didn't have to wonder long though. I felt his hand wrap around my forearm and anchor himself to me. He entwined our legs and wrapped one arm around my waist. I curled around him as best I could as the current carried us farther into the darkness.

Then there was a strange sensation, we seemed to be free of the current but still falling. I didn't understand and I felt the water fall from us and I gasped for breath as I felt wind floating by my face. I opened my eyes and saw what seemed to be a pool of water below us. It was a waterfall.

I winced as we hit the water, there was no telling how deep it was and how far in we would fall. Ron's bulk coupled with mine was a decently heavy weight. Luckily we did not hit the bottom of the pool in which I was just sure there were sharp pointy things at the bottom. We both swam to shore, shaking from our ride and the adrenaline that came with it.

"We lived," I whispered.

Ron's sardonic laugh suggested otherwise.

We lay on the ground for a few moments and just inhaled. You never know how much you'll miss a silly thing like that until you no longer have it. I rolled over to look at him and grinned when he simply lifted an eyebrow at me.

"What now?" he asked.

Typical male, turn to the females for all the decision making. "I think we should try and figure out where we are, but for now we need to get out of here. We don't know who that was in the hallway earlier and if it was someone unfriendly they probably know where we are."

Ron nodded and climbed to his feet. "We should go this way." He pointed in a direction opposite of the waterfall.

"And why's that?"

"Because I know it's the right way."

"We should find the nearest town and ask for directions."

"Who's to say the town isn't that way?"

"Who's to say it is!"

"What if the person we ask isn't friendly?"

"Well it won't do us much good to wander around aimlessly," I huffed. Ron could be so aggravating at times.

Ron sighed and turned his back and started walking west from the waterfall. Grumbling, I gave into the notion that he was most likely right. "Ronald, I believe we should go this way." I pointed opposite the waterfall.

A smile dazzled his features as he turned to join me.

He turned out being right. We found a town about fifteen minutes later, standing on the outskirts we stared in.

"Look friendly?" he asked.

"Friendly enough. Ron, maybe we should contact Harry and wait for him? Or at least Dumbledore. We could be in America, we just don't know and I think waiting for them could be better."

"Why can't we just Apparate?" Ron asked, looking confused. He looks cute when he's confused.

"This town is most obviously muggle inhabited. We could very easily be seen." I said.

Ron looked disbelieving, scoffing at me. I lifted that eyebrow at him and he persisted in being a bit terse.

I turned around and sure enough there were younger children playing a good five feet behind us. I lifted that eyebrow higher and gave him a look. "My point proven," I said tartly.

"Com'on, let's find a hotel."

"A what?" he asked as I drug him off into the town.

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_A.N. So yes, I came back and I wrote! So review and make me happy?_


	3. Revolving Doors

_A.N. No I did not abandon this story, just took a bit of a break from fanfiction is all. Now I have a bit of an announcement. I have created a LiveJournal community called eriseds(underscore)mirror. It's for Harry Potter fanfiction and fanart. I'm doing my best to get it off the ground but hey, there's only so much one person can do. So I'm asking anyone who reads this chapter to please go at least take a look. Join if you write or draw! I'd really like to see this community become something special and well… I need a little help moving it along.__If you write or draw join my community please?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I'm just playing puppeteer with all the characters for a bit._

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It had been fifteen exhausting minutes since Ron had so quaintly asked me what a hotel was. When in the magical world 'Muggle Talk' never came up much and even if it did, it was between me and Harry. It was truly astounding how many things came freely to me, while Ron struggled with the concept of a revolving door. 

"Hermione!" Ron yelled grabbing my arm roughly right before I was about to step through said door.

I squeaked slightly in pain and turned to stare back at him with an incredulous look on my face, "What is wrong with you Ron?"

Ron pointed at the door as if it was a Death Eater, "It was going to eat you. This whole place is crawling with tricks I bet you, we're better off in the woods."

"Ron listen to me, the door was not going to eat me. There are a lot of things you don't understand, just… try and be quiet. Please?" If he didn't shut up about man-eating doors we were going to attract unwanted attention or woman-eating in this case.

"I am not walking through those doors," Ron stated crossing his arms. Great, just what I need, Ron being overtly petulant and me in smelling like I had just climbed out of a zoo. Perfect.

"Ron I promise the doors won't do anything to you, just step in at the right moment and you'll be fine!" I gave him my best smile hoping to coax him out of his shell just this once. Of course I could charm any man if I wanted to.

"Do I look mental?" Ron asked.

I glared at him angrily and grabbed his wrists, "Com'on, I don't have time for this!"

Ron set his feet in the ground and no matter how hard I yanked, pulled, or pleaded. He didn't budge. "You don't even have any muggle money!" he declared pointing a finger in my direction.

You know that aforementioned attention I was trying to avoid, I'd gained the attention. Seething I looked up at my counterpart, "That's what a telephone is for you half-wit, now if you don't follow me inside that door right now I'll lock you in the bathroom and read you every spell book I own!"

Ron still didn't budge, looking slightly scared.

"Front to back!"

Ron gave me an impish look and let the pressure off his heels. I went sprawling backwards into the dirt and landed rather harshly on my rear. I was full and ready to glare, rant and rave. However, he picked me up and set me back on my feet apologizing profusely and well… he just looked so cute.

As we approached the revolving door I could see his apprehension returning.

"Just step in with me and everything will be fine," I said calmly.

We stepped together landing within the revolving door's grasp and with a smile I easily stepped out and realized all too late. Ron was not with me. I looked back in abject horror as Ron simply kept walking along with the door giving me a helpless look.

I moved forward quickly for fear that Ron might do something out of place like say, blowing the door off its hinges with his wand. "Ron, just step out when you come to me alright?"

Ron nodded and attempted to walk out of the revolving door but he didn't move quick enough. "Bloody hell!" He yelled as the door closed on his hand. "Hermione it's biting me!"

I considered hiding my head in my shirt, no matter how bad the smell was. My patience gone I stalked forward and ripped his hand from the doors. Giving his hand a once over to make sure nothing was broken and the fool hadn't hurt himself. Once I was satisfied with his health I walked up to the reception counter. "May I use your phone?"

The receptionist looked at me and discreetly hid her nose behind her hand, only reminding me of my state of smell. "Is it a local call?"

Oh dear, this is going to sound odd now isn't it? Please nice receptionist, tell me where I am. "Would… would you be kind enough to tell me where I am?"

The receptionist's eyes widened. That was it, she was going to hit the panic button under the counter and Ron and I would be carted away to the local detention center. "Bakersville, ma'am."

I lifted my eyebrows in hope that maybe she would elaborate.

"Bakersville, North Carolina."

"Oh well then, it would definitely be an out of area call. Is there anyway I could use it?" I asked pitifully already knowing the answer.

I heard a crash and turned to see Ron looking guilty and the shards of a vase at his feet. With a grin I turned back to the receptionist. "I could pay for that, if you can let me call my parents in Englad. It's really no trouble!"

With a sour look the receptionist handed me the phone.

* * *

"Okay so let me get this straight. You used a fellytone.." 

"A telephone, honestly say it correctly!"

"… Telephone to call your mum and dad in England to get us money and a place to stay. Can't the Death Eaters track that?"

"Do you think that Death Eaters would place a trace on calls?"

"A what?"

"Nevermind."

I sat there and watched the lift numbers count higher. My mum and dad had come into a bit of money in the past few years and well, I hadn't been sparse when selecting a room. It wasn't the penthouse, but still there was enough room for both Ron and I.

"I don't understand." He said plainly.

Plenty of space.

"You don't need to understand! I will take care of things!" I hissed.

"You? Take care of things? Are you sure you can?" he asked.

I turned to him with a look akin to fury on my face. He instantly cringed realizing about a moment too late that he had said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Of course I could take care of us! Who did he think I was Parvati Patil! I had a brain and last time I checked I was a bit more educated in Muggles that he was. I at least knew how to say telephone right.

Instead of yelling or lecturing like he was so ready for I simply huffed and turned my nose up, staring pointedly in the other direction. We may have graduated Hogwarts but old habits die hard.

Ron did likewise, crossing his arms and glaring a hole in the key-pad of the lift. "Women, honestly."

The lift 'dinged' signaling we were free to go and the doors slid open. I flounced down the hallway, vaguely aware of Ron following me. Stupid prat, I shouldn't even let him in the room. However, my conscience wouldn't leave him in the hall to stink. I slid the card into the door handle and pulled it back out waiting for the little light to turn green. It did and I pushed the door open.

"I call the shower," I yelled as I took off towards the bathroom.

Ron utterly lost stared angrily at me as I tore down the hallway. "Women."

* * *

I had never thought hot water would feel so good. It cleansed me of that wretched smell and I couldn't care less if I was using hotel brand shampoo, it definitely smelled better than sewer water. After I had finished washing I toweled off and went to grab my old clothes, however the green tone to them caused me to pull my hand back. I opened the nearest cupboard and retrieved the complimentary robe hanging there. 

I walked out into the sitting room and saw Ron slouched pitifully on the couch, snoring. He shouldn't have looked so adorable while snoring. I smiled gently and sat down next to him shaking his shoulder gently, "Ron, you need to take a shower. Com'on wake up."

His eyes slowly slid open and he gave me a lopsided smile, "You smell better."

My smile widened, "Let's get you in the shower alright?"

I pulled him to his feet and lead him to the bathroom. Once we arrived I showed him where everything was, including the other robe. He gently kissed me as I turned around to face him. I smiled and melted against his lips. My Ron.

His hand slipped into the ample supply of curls at the back of my neck holding me against him as his tongue worked my lips open. It was difficult to remember that he did indeed smell bad and he shouldn't be kissing me. He should be getting in the shower. I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into his body as he pinned me against the cabinet.

I quickly realized that one, he did stink and two, I had nothing on under my robe. With a blush I broke the kiss. "Shower."

He grinned boyishly at me, "Sure you don't want to join me?"

There were time when that comment would have gotten him slapped but right now I just returned his impish grin. "Perhaps when you smell better."

He chuckled and released me, "Out so I can get undressed."

"Can't I watch," I asked as I forced a fake pout.

He kissed me gently again, "Perhaps when my skin isn't green we'll see, but I have some pride. Out!" He pushed me gently.

I gave him one last kiss and slipped out the door.

Perhaps Ron had his uses.

Wonderful uses.

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_A.N. Well I hoped you liked it, humor really isn't my thing but I tried. And PLEASE! Go visit that community and join :looks cute:. I'm also looking for an artist, I need a banner for the community pwease!Anyways R&R and feed the authors watch out they spit._


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